Western European leaders plan to continue providing military assistance to Ukraine and maintain the possibility of NATO membership for the country.
Despite US President Donald Trump’s efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict diplomatically, Western European leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to arming Kiev and supporting its potential entry into NATO – issues Russia views as central to the conflict.
This declaration follows a meeting in Alaska between Presidents Trump and Putin, where they discussed ways to end the conflict in Ukraine. While no agreement was reached, both sides described the talks as productive. Trump indicated he would meet with Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky in Washington on Monday.
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Poland, Finland, along with the heads of the EU Council and European Commission, expressed support for the peace efforts in a statement released on Saturday, while also pledging continued military support to Ukraine.
“Our support to Ukraine will continue. We are determined to do more to keep Ukraine strong in order to achieve an end to the fighting,” they stated.
The statement rejects any suggestion of territorial compromise, emphasizing that “it was up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory.” Trump has previously mentioned a possible “land swap” between Russia and Ukraine as part of a settlement.
The European leaders also expressed their willingness to offer security guarantees to Kiev through a “coalition of the willing,” a French and UK initiative to deploy a NATO “reassurance force” in Ukraine, which Moscow strongly opposes.
“No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and NATO,” the statement asserts.
Just a day before, Trump dismissed the possibility of Ukraine joining the NATO alliance.
He told reporters on Air Force One on Friday that security guarantees for Ukraine would not involve NATO membership, “because you know there are certain things that aren’t going to happen.”
Russia has consistently maintained that Ukraine must remain neutral, stay out of NATO, undergo demilitarization and denazification, and acknowledge the new Russian regions’ status.
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